A trio of business owners on Oak Bay Avenue say their shops might not recover from the COVID-19 crisis now that four parking spots were removed across the street to make room for a pub patio.
Bunny Doyle, who owns the Shabby Rabbit clothing store at 2225 Oak Bay Ave., says she was unaware the were going to use the four street parking stalls in front of their side of the street until they were already approved by the District. The parking stalls in front of the Penny Farthing, Vis a Vis, Rogers Chocolate and Walk In Comfort are now protected by bollards and the Penny Farthing is in the process of setting up patio seating where the parking stalls are.
Oak Bay council voted on May 28 to allow businesses to apply to temporarily expand their businesses onto sidewalks or take over parking spots.
Doyle is one of three tenants on the commercial front of the building, between Maresa Boutique womenB次元官网网址檚 clothing, owned by Nancy James, and the Oak Bay Gallery, owned by Dale Shaw.
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B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e the last ones, we havenB次元官网网址檛 been considered at all,B次元官网网址� Doyle said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e giving [the Penny] extra and itB次元官网网址檚 coming out of our pockets. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be New Orleans or Las Vegas over there with day drinking. B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 not just the retail stores that draw people to Oak Bay Village, Doyle noted. ItB次元官网网址檚 the VillageB次元官网网址檚 five banks (which are now reopening), itB次元官网网址檚 the pharmacy, chiropractor, dentist, hairstylist and more.
B次元官网网址淲e need that foot traffic, and without parking the Village will lose it,B次元官网网址� Doyle said.
In hopes of stimulating their own business Doyle applied for a dedicated B次元官网网址淥ak Bay Gallery, Shabby Rabbit, Maresa BoutiqueB次元官网网址� retail parking sign for the only two parking spots in front of their building.
Mayor Kevin Murdoch noted the biggest parking lot in the Village, at the Monterey Recreation Centre and library directly behind the Shabby Rabbit, has about 75 spots and will remain mostly empty for the summer. Seven parking spots behind municipal hall are also being converted for use by patrons of the Village, Murdoch said.
Even so, people prefer convenience, Doyle said.
B次元官网网址淯s retailers donB次元官网网址檛 offer a necessary service, we offer a fun service, so weB次元官网网址檙e the ones whoB次元官网网址檙e going to suffer,B次元官网网址� Doyle said. B次元官网网址淲e certainly donB次元官网网址檛 have the draw that alcohol has, and just imagine the noise we are going to hear.B次元官网网址�
Doyle said she left three messages with the Penny Farthing to talk to the owner about the parking spots.
B次元官网网址淧arking is the number one complaintB次元官网网址� people are always saying thereB次元官网网址檚 not enough parking, so [IB次元官网网址檓] a little choked,B次元官网网址� James said. B次元官网网址淭here are [other] options [for the pub], they could leave the space open to parking until 5 p.m., during business hours.B次元官网网址�
Any loss of parking is a concern, Murdoch said.
B次元官网网址淐ouncil weighed the loss of some on-street parking spots with the benefits of drawing people to our commercial centres and through other ways of helping all businesses,B次元官网网址� Murdoch said. B次元官网网址淚 hope people know that there is lots of parking around the Village and we are welcoming people to visit and shop.B次元官网网址�
The council decision was created to benefit the pubs and restaurants following two months of closures and lower seating capacity, Murdoch explained.
B次元官网网址淐ouncil felt it critical to do what we could to help them survive, but we have reached out to every business in Oak Bay to ask what we can do to help them,B次元官网网址� Murdoch said.
Doyle said theyB次元官网网址檇 like to see a relaxation on the limited residential parking on the Village sidestreets opened up to a two-hour limit, and to limit the Penny Farthing and Vis a Vis patio seats to the parking spots in front of their businesses, and not the whole building front, which would B次元官网网址渓iberateB次元官网网址� two spots in front of Rogers Chocolates and Walk In Comfort, James added.
Murdoch said the District is working on additional improvements in the Village to make the public washrooms more visible, adding signage to ensure people know about the Monterey parking lot and are looking at adding secure bike parking for local workers and visitors.
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B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 like to see bylaw enforcement on The Avenue,B次元官网网址� Doyle said. B次元官网网址淧eople leave their cars for three and four hours in two-hour spots, and some people park blocking our driveway [access to staff and residential parking at the back].
B次元官网网址淎nd weB次元官网网址檇 like to see more signage telling people where to park.B次元官网网址�
James pointed to an elderly woman with a dog using a walker to navigate the Oak Bay Avenue sidewalk in front of Maresa Boutique.
B次元官网网址淭here are 150 others just like her [who live nearby so they can walk into the Village],B次元官网网址� James said. B次元官网网址淟ook at how much trouble she has. And if she wants to be on [the other] side of the street sheB次元官网网址檒l have to dodge servers, drinkers and diners, and people clearing tables.B次元官网网址�
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